TBMD

As I look at the top half of my outfit, I'm thinking, hey looks pretty good! Then as my eyes slowly travel downwards, those happy thoughts soon turn to a grimace. I really should've gone with solid pumps -- hell, even plain ol' black pumps will do. So do me a favor? Skim over the first photo and focus on the second instead ;)

I love the color white. I already own a white skirt, two pairs of white shorts, white skinny jeans, a white dress, and multiple white tees -- all of which I wear on a regular basis. I can now add another to my ever-growing white collection: a pair of wide leg trousers.

I saw the Chelsea28 pleated wide leg pants on Taylor and Julia awhile back. I was immediately smitten with the flowy look. It gave off such a sophisticated vibe a la Lauren Bacall. Being the casual dresser that I am, I didn't know if I could pull it. I also had doubts about my ability to keep the pants clean -- a long hem nearly touching the dirty ground?!

I couldn't stop thinking about the pants, so what the heck, I had to see it in person myself. Not surprisingly, I loved it. The pants are fitted through the waist, then straight down the legs, which makes it so comfortable to wear. I'm used to wearing skinny jeans, so it's always an adjustment to wear items that aren't restrictive at all. For reference, I'm wearing sz 00.

The pants were very long on my 5'4" frame (~35" inseam on the pants, iirc?) Nordstrom offers free alterations on select services for full-priced items, which happens to include hemming pants. I had bought the pants online, so I just walked in to any of the women's departments at my local store. A sales associate will call someone from the alterations department to come up while you change. He/she'll then just pin the pants to the correct length (make sure you bring the exact shoes you'll be wearing). I was handed a slip with a pickup date a week later. It's seriously so convenient and hassle-free.

I definitely saw wrinkles appearing throughout the day, mainly around the thigh area. Sigh. Unavoidable I guess, so I've come to terms with that. My worries about keeping the pants clean? Perhaps I was overreacting because they were just as clean at the end of the day as they were at the start.

P.S. - Thank you Jean for introducing me to the H&M top and Suddenlee for tracking down my size for me!

I dragged DH into the city over the weekend for a day date. With a Google map printout in hand, we played tourists like the locals we weren't. We started off with a late lunch at someplace new and an old favorite (iced chai tea latte never disappoints.) Then we walked it off by strolling through semi-famous and not-so-famous landmarks alike. I'm so glad we were able to enjoy the most perfect weather outside.

A business casual outfit to kick off the new work week. Hope you have a good one!

Spring is in the air, so that means I'm actively scouting for new locations with pretty flowers. No worries, once the rain washes the blooms away in a week's time, I'll be back to standing around in one my five usual spots. Have a great weekend, everyone!

The longer I look at today's outfit photos, the more I'm doubting my jacket choice. While the tweed and lace combination essentially works due to the similar color scheme, I think I should've gone with something simpler on the bottom (like dark washed jeans) or a solid colored jacket (like my tan leather jacket). Live and learn, right? :)

What a difference a few days make. The snow's melted, the sun's shining, and I'm more than happy to welcome spring with open arms in pastel colors today. Cheers to more nice weather ahead!

One of the nice aspects of blogging that I take advantage of is going through my stash of old outfit photos -- the good, the bad, and the ugly. Outfits can always be improved upon, and as I refine my wardrobe over time, I look for ways to tweak old outfits to make them new again.

For example, today's outfit features the same combination of tweed jacket + gray pants + snakeskin pumps as an outfit from last year. I tried my hand at pairing plaid flannel with tweed, which I thought was a cool combination at the time... but now? Ehh... I probably should've chosen a more casual pair of pants instead. This time around, I swapped out the casual top for a dressier version, which results in a more cohesive look from head to toe.

Another day, another outfit post with perhaps a bit too much sun glare in the photos. I really like the soft, glowy feel, but do need to remember that some things are best used in moderation.

Have a good Wednesday, everyone!

Sales alert at Saks' F&F event: Use code FRNFAM2 for 25% off (designer exclusions apply) through 4/28.

A few closet favorites available at a discount:
- Burberry Marystow trench - $896.25 sale price (I'm wearing sz 2 - see outfits)
- Longchamp LM Metal tote - small is $116.25, large is $131.25 (read review / see below + outfits with bag)
- Ali Ro draped dress - blue is $187.50, hot pink is $112.49 (I'm wearing sz 0 - see outfits)
- Marc Jacobs large Single - pink is $506.25 (see outfits with bag)

Also, today's the last day for Neiman Marcus' gift card event for regular-priced purchases of $250+ by using code BET2GET. If the item/designer is excluded from Saks' F&F and/or probably won't be going on sale, the next best thing is getting a gift card towards a future purchase. It's not instant savings, but it's better than nothing. For this reason, I went ahead and purchased an item I've long been lusting after, the Valentino Rockstud sandals. The shoes are actually $895 (listed price of $945 is marked wrong) and will be corrected once an order is placed. During check-out, I noticed a $29 delivery and processing charge, but was able to waive it by stacking two codes, APRILFS with BET2GET.

Lastly, at Hollister, take 40% off entire purchase (+ free shipping over $75) using code 36040 through 4/24.
- Destroyed boot jeans - $35.70 sale price (I'm wearing sz 3R - see outfits)

I originally planned on wearing a red blazer with today's plaid shirt. When I tried the pairing, I felt the blazer's longer length didn't look right with flared, high-waisted pants, even if I did like the red on plaid combo. I swapped out the blazer for a cropped tweed jacket and felt the proportions of the outfit worked much better. The tweed material with the plaid pattern is on the busy side, so I kept the rest of the outfit simple and in neutral colors.